Door-operating mechanism



Sept. 4, 1928. 1,683,464

H. H. HENRICKS DOOR OPERAT I NG MECHANI SM Filed March 27, 1925 IIIIII hPatented Sept. 4, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD H. HENRICKS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE YOUNGSTOWNSTEEL DOOR COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

DOOR-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Application filed March 27, 1925.

This invention relates to improvements in door operating mechanism.

Heretotore great difficulty has been experienced in opening and closingthe sliding side doors of box and other types of cars, on account of thetendency of the doors to become jammed or stuck. This is especially thecase where doors of heavy construction supported by either overhead orbottom tracks are used, the tracks and coacting bearings becomingcorroded due to exposure to the weather during continued service,thereby offering undue resistance to the movement of the doors, makingthe opening and closing thereof extremely difficult.

in practice, it often happens, therefore, that the men in charge ofopening and closing the doors are compelled to use crowbars or othertools to start the opening thereof and to force the same to closedposition, conse quently seriously damaging the doors and necessitatingfrequent and expensive repairs.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple. and relativelyinexpensive device which can be applied to doors of the type aboveindicated and which will have effective and easily operative means forstarting the opening movement of the door, and which will also draw thedoor to tightly closed position.

iinother object of the invention is to provide a door operatingmechanism of this character, including an actuating member, and atransmitting member pivot-ally associated with the door parts, and witheach other, said actuating member being adapted to impart movement tosaid transmitting member to move one door part relatively to the otherand being provided with means projecting into the path of movement ofsaid transmitting member to limit the same in 12" direction. thetransmitting member b ing provided with means for the reception of saidprojecting means whereby the various pivotal points are disposed in acommon plane, together with a latch for locking the members against movment, the various parts being provided with means for the reception of aseal.

Other and further objects of the invention will more fully and clearlyappear from Serial No. 18,791.

the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of adoor frame and door, showing my invention in connection therewith andFigure 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of a door frame and door,showing a front elevation of the invention when applied thereto.

As shown in the drawings, 5 represents a fragment of a door post,forming part of a door frame of the character ordinarily associated withfreight or box cars of various types, and 6 represents a. fragment of aside wall of such a car. The post 5 is provided with a wear member inthe form of a 2 member 7, one flange 8 of which is disposed upon theouter side of the post, the web and the other flange 9 of the 2 memberbeing secured to the door post 5 and the car wall 6 by any suitablemeans. An angular member 10 is secured to the door post, the angularflange 11 of which is disposed at a suitable distance outwardly from theflange 8 of the 2 member so as to provide a recess or slot 12 for thereception of the forward edge 13 of the sliding door 14. The door 14 maybe of metal and supported by overhead or bottom rollers and tracks inthe usual manner.

My invention comprises broadly a supporting bracket A, an actuatingmember 15, a power transmitting member C, and a latch D.

The bracket A comprises a base portion having angular flanges 15 and 16,the flange 16 being secured to the flange 9 of the Z member by suitablerivets 17. The outer portion of the bracket is provided with an inturnedextension 18, adapted to form a horizontally disposed journal bearing 19for the reception of a pivot pin 20 upon which is pivotally mounted theactuating lever or member B.

The actuating member B is preferably in the form of a bell crank lever,including a handle portion 21 and a crank or actuating portion 22,extending at right angles to the handle portion 21. and being providedwith a fixed headed pin 23 at its outer extremity.

The actuating member B is also provided with an extension 24 upon theside of the pivotal mounting opposite to the handle 21, such extensionbeing provided with an outturned flange adapted to co-operate with thetransmitting member C as hereinafter more fully described.

The transmitting member C is preferably in the form of a connectinglink, one end 26 of which is pivotally mounted upon a headed pin 27fixed to the body portion of the door, the head of said pin being spacedfrom the body portion of the door a suflicient distance to permitlimited lateral movement of the transmitting member C. The forwardportion of the member C is adapted for connection with the pin 23 uponthe crank 22 of the actuating member 15. The detachable connectionincludes an aperture 28 in the for ard portion of the transmittingmember (7, which aperture is of sufficient size to permit insertion andremoval of the pin 23, it being n ted that the transmitting member is ofsuch a length that when the actuating member B is at the limit of itsclosing movement, the aperture 28 can not be disconnected from the pinby reason of engagement of the body portion of the transi'nitting memberC with the head of the pin 23. Between its ends the transmitting memberC is provided with a recess or notch 29, which is adapted for thereception of the flange foimcd on the actuating member B, when theactuating member B is at the limit of its closing movement. The recessor notch 29 is formed in the link by drawing or bending the lowerlongitudinal edge 31 of the link toward the edge 30, and then pressingtogether the body portion of the link at this po nt so as to provide afolded portion 32 which extends laterally with reference to the link C,and which is somewhat offset with respect to the longitudinal axis ofthe link, the lateral portion bein substantially coextensive with, andadapted in certain positions of the parts to rest upon the flange 25formed on the extension 24 of the actuating member B.

he 1 ackct A, at a point above and to one side of the pivot pin 20, isprovided with a vertically extending pii'ot pin 33 upon which ispivotally mounted the latch I), such latch being provided to swing to aposition over the transmitting member C to hold the same a;,' ainstmovement when in its door closing position. The bracket is also providedwith an outwardly turned stop 34, disposed slightly above the plane ofmovement of the latch I), the stop 34 being extended outwardlysufficient to prevent lateral movement of the latch, but terminating ata point permitting free n'iovement of the lateral portion 32 of the linkC when the latch I) is in inoperative position. The parts D. 32, and areprovided with openings adapted to be aligned when the door is closed.and permitting the insertion of a car seal, by

which unauthorized tampering with the mechanism may be detected.

In operation, assuming the parts to be in the fully closed positionillustrated in Figure 2, and assuming the seal to be in position in theopenings 30, when it is desired to open the door, the sealis broken, andthe latch D swung outwardly from engagement with the lateral portion 32of the link t. The handle 21 of the actuating member is then swung in aclockwise direction, imparting a combined lateral and longitudinalmovement to the transmitting member C, resulting in disengagement of therecess 29 from the flange 25 of the lever, and exerting great power inan opening direction upon the door 14, \Vhcn the actuating portion 22has reached the limit of its movement, the transmitting member C may bedisengaged from the pin 23 on the portion 22, by reason of its looseconnection with the pin 27 on the door, which permits the necessarylateral movement of the link for disconnecting the same from the pin.The door 14 is then manually opened to its full extent. \Vhen it isdesired to close the door, the same is manually moved to a point wherethe link C may be reengaged with the pin 23, the actuating member 13 ofcourse being swung in a clock wise direction to permit the attachment ofthe link therewith. The actuating member is then swung in ananti-clockwise direction of course exerting a powerful closing movementupon the door, and this action serves to again dispose the flange 25 ofthe actuating member B in the recess provided in the link C. The partsin this position are so arranged that the pivotal points 27, 20 and 23are disposed in the same plane which is permitted by reason of theoffset lateral portion 32, resulting in a toggle effect, the engagementof the flange 25 with the link also limiting the movement of theactuating member B in an anti-clockwise direction. In this position ofthe parts the latch I) may be ieengaged to prevent clockwise movement ofthe actuating member, and the seal may be inserted through the openingsin the various members.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferredmanner of carrying out the invention, but the same is merelyillustrative and I contemplate all changes and modificatiaons that comewithin the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a door Operating mechanism for a sliding door member having aframe member associated therewith, the combination with an actuatingelement pivotally mounted on one of said members; of a transmittingmember pivotally associated with said actuating element and the other ofsaid members, said actuating element being adapted to impart combinedlongitudinal and lateral movement to the transmitting member, saidactuating element being provided with means projecting into the path ofmovement of said transmitting member to limit the movement thereof inone direction; and a latch mounted on one of said members and movablesubstantially at right angles to the plane of movement of saidtransmitting member and engageable with the latter to prevent movementthereof in the opposite direction.

2. In a door operating mechanism for a sliding door member having i'ramemember associated tlerevith, the combination with an actuating elementpivotally mounted on one of said members; of an elongated transmittingmember having its end portions longitudinally in line, one of said endportions being pivotally associated with sait actuating element and theother oi said members, said end portions being pivotally associated withthe other of said actuating element being adapted to impart movement tothe transmitting member, said actuating element being provided withmeans projecting into the path of movement of said transmitting memberto limit the movement thereof in one direction and said 'ransmittingmember having its body portion otl'set intermediate its ends for thereception of said projecting means to permit alignment of the points ofpivotal connection.

3, In a door operating mechanism for a sliding door member having aframe member associated therewith, the combinatimi with an actuatingelement pivotally mounted on one of said members; of a transmittingmember pivotally associated with sait actuating element and the other otsaid members, said actuating element being adapted to impart combinedlongitudinal and lateral movement to the transmitting member, saidactuating element being provided with means projecting into the, path olmovement of said transmitting member to limit the movement thereot inone direction, and a locking element movablv mounted on one of saidmembers adapted to be disposed in the path of movement of saidtransmitting member to prevent movement in the opposite direction.

l. In a door operating mechanism for a sliding door member having atrame member associated therewith, the combination with an actuatingelement pivotally mounted on one of said members; of a transmitting member pivotally associated with said actuating element and the other ofsaid members, said actuating element being adapted to impart movement tothe transmitting member, said actuating element being provided withmeans projecting into the path of movement of said transmitting memberto limit the movement thereof in one direction and said transmittingmember being provided with an oli'set for the reception of saidprojecting means to permit alignment of the points of pivotalconnection; and a locking element movable into the path of movement ofsaid transmitting member to prevent movement of said transmitting memberin the opposite direction.

5. In a door operating mechanism for a sliding door member having aframe member associated therewith, the combination with an actuatingelement pivotally mounted on one of said members; of a transmittingmember pivotall associated \ith said actuating element and one of saidmembers, said actuating element being adapted to impart combinedlongitudinal and lateral movement to the transmitting member, saidactuating element sing provided with means projecting into the path ofmovement of said transmitting member to limit the movement thereof inone direction, a locking element movable into the path ot' movement ofsaid transmitting member to prevent movement of said transmitting memberin the opposite direction, said locking member, transmitting member, andactuating member being provided with apertures arranged to register whenthe parts are in locked position, rid apertures being pro vided for thereception of a seal.

{5. In a door operating mechanism of the character described, thecombination with a transmitting element, the longitudinal edges of whichare drawn together intermeate the ends of the element, and oltset to proa TOM'S); ot means tor operating said element, sa d means inciudingportions adapted to be disposed within said recess.

7. in a door operating mechanisn'i, the combination with a transmittingelement, the longitudinal edges oi whicn are drawn together intermediatethe ends of the element, and o'i'lset to provide a recess, said drawnportion being termed flat and disposed substantialtg. at right angles tothe remaining bod portion of said transmi ting element; of means forimpart ng movement to said transmitting element, said means havingportions adapted to project into said recess in certain positions of theparts.

8. In a door operating mechanism t'or a sl ding door member having aframe member associated therewith, the combination with an actuatingelement pivotally mounted on one of said members, and a transmittingmember connected to said actuating eiement and to the other ot saidmembers, said actuating lenient be ng orovided with stop meansprojecting into the path of movement of the transmitting member, andsaid transmitting member having its longitudinal edges drawn togetherintermediate its ends and oitset to provide a recess for the receptionof the stop means on said actuating member.

9. In a, door operating mechanism for a sliding door member having aframe member associated therewith, the combination with an actuatingelement pivotally mounted on one of sad members, a transmitting memberconnected to said actuating element and to the other of said members,said actuating element being provided with stop means projecting intothe path of movement of the transmitting member. and said transmittingmember having its longitudinal edges drawn together intermediate itsends and offset to provide a recess for the reception of the stop meanson said actuating member, and a locking member adapted to engage saidtransni tting member at the side thereof opposite said stop means.

10. In a door operating mechanism for a sliding door member having aframe member associated therewith, the combination with an actuatingelement pivotally mounted on one of said members, a transmitting memberconnected to said actuating element and to the other of said members,said actuating element being provided with stop means projecting intothe path of movement of the transmitting member, and said transmittingmember having its longitudinal edges drawn together intermediate itsends and offset to provide a recess for the reception of the stop meanson said actuating members, a locking member adapted to engage saidtransmitting member at the side thereof opposite said stop means, saidlocking member, transmitting element and stop means being provided withapertures adapted to be aligned when the parts are in closing positionfor the reception of a seal.

11. In a door operating mechanism for a sliding door member having aframe member associated therewith, the combination with an actuatingelement in the form of a bell crank lever pivotally mounted on one ofsaid members, and a transmitting link having one end pivotally anddetachably connected with the actuating portion of the bell crank leverand having its opposite end portion pivotally connected with the othermember, said bell crank lever being provided with an outturned stopprojecting into the path of movement of said link, and said link beingprovided with an offset portion adapted for the reception of said stop;a locking member mounted at an angle to the axis of said actuatingmember and arranged to be moved to engagement with the offset portion ofsaid link, said locking member, said link, and said stop means beingprovided with apertures disposed in alignment when the parts are inclosing position, said apertures providing means for the reception of aseal.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 23 day of March, 1925.

HAROLD H. HENRICKS.

